Various philosophical issues


Linfield's short philosophy video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Dcvmhc_l8



Philosophy in the US today is mostly taught and written by white males, many of who seem to have an investment in a Eurocentric perspective. Most philosophy textbooks reflect this bias.

Eric Schwitzgebel, Prof. of Philosophy, UC Riverside, writes: "Despite aspiring to be a broad, topically-driven inquiry into fundamental questions about truth, knowledge, beauty, and morality, perhaps philosophy as currently practiced in the U.S. is experienced by students as something closer to the study of a piece of ethnically European cultural history."

A statement on metaphysics by a hugely impactful scientist:

“The day science begins to study non-physical phenomena, it will make more progress in one decade than in all the previous centuries.” --Nicola Tesla

ETHICS ISSUES

A key issue of ethics is acting for the long-term future of our world -- our children -- rather than the grossly immoral goal of short-term profits.

Ethical views of fracking from Native American earthkeeping philosophy:

http://www.nextworldtv.com/videos/anti-fracking/the-unfractured-.html

Is Neuroscience the Answer to Philosophical Issues?

From an interview (LA Times, 3-31-12) with Jonah Lehrer, author and neuroscience specialist:

Is there a Holy Grail in neuroscience?

"Yes, consciousness. These trillion synaptic connections, somehow they give rise to subjective self-experience.

We have no idea how that happens, not even glimmers."

Compare Descartes, Locke, Hume, others.


The Stone: For anyone interested in ongoing developments in philosophy that have an effect on society, there is The Stone: the New York Times' regular feature. Check it out at the link below. An rss feed is also available to keep you posted on what it publishes.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/category/the-stone/


Galileo and the Church on YouTube (about 16 minutes total)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmwAr54L_pM
pt 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAra0BVjJp4&feature=related
pt 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3X_OZq7f70&feature=related
pt 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsqHCnLMz_A&feature=related
pt 4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebZxMjvAu8Y&feature=related

Comparisons of East and West:

Four extremely informative and readable books about Eastern philosophy:
Fritjof Capra, The Tao of Physics
Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi
Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha's Teachings
Gary Zukav, The Dancing Wu Li Masters